The Labor enquirer., 1887-05-14
SHOT DOWN!
A California Labor Nan Killed
by Deputy sheriffs,
So-Called.
A MOST HORRIBLE OUTRAGE.
Amateur Pinkertons Display Their
Murderous Tendencies and Kill
a Poor Settler.
Sxppressed by the Assoeiated Press n,onopol,
and BY the Satanic daily press.

AStskxV CSScA w Ltc AS5OCtOtS0 kTeS6 nt0nODOtU
and BY the Satanic daily press.
San Francisco Examiner, Mayl.
It was on February II last that Herman
Lyons of Wooden Valley and his wife,
with their eleven en-months-old babe, visited
Napa City. They went to town in
spring wagon. On returning at 4 o'clock
in the afternoon, Mrs. Lyons and her child
alighted and repaired to the house, she to
prepare the evening meal while her hus-
band drove the wagon over to her fathers
ranch, quarter Of mile distant.
Delivering the vehicle the horses we're
driven back by Mr.. Lyons to his home.
On approaching he saw a man named
Peter Olsten with Winchester rife in his
hands. He leveled his rife, to the aston
ishment Of the farmer, and fred when
within distance of fifty yards. The shot
went wide of it's mark, and Lyons retreat
ed while two others were sent after him.
He went back as quickly as possible to the
Grigsby ranch and gave the alarm, return
ing armed.
Blood had been noticed on the hands of
Olsten by Mr.. Lyons at the time of the
shooting, and they we're the stains of his
heinous crime. It was found that the
wOman's throat had been cut and her face
and chin also terribly mutilated by the
knife.
The trail Of the fleeing assassin was
taken up by the husband with the single
idea of revenge. He was beside himself.
His wife had been killed almost in his
presence, and his baby found in an ad-
joining room where fortune seemed TO
have placed it and enabled it to escape.
The murderer was supposed to have
gone north, but his immediate pursuit
showed that he had travelled rapidly and
got out of the way. On the morning of
the succeeding day fifty men were out in
search of Olsten, and by nightfall nearly
200 citizens were covering the entire val
Icy in vain search. The hills that envi-
ron the valley are mostly covered with
dense chapparal, and at the time a rain
storm was prevailing, both of which con-
tributed to the chances of getting away
which he did.
Since that times Lyons has shouldered
his rifle, abandoned his business and fol-
lowed every possible clue to bring to JUS
tice the murderer of his wife. An accu-
rate description of Olsten was telegraphed
in every direction, and resulted in many
arrests which sfterward proved to be cases
of mistaken identity.
The first man arrested for the crime
was in Lakeport, but was soon liberated.
Then party was taken in at Fort Bid
well, who soon died on the government
reservation. The third was secured at
Fort Jones, Siskiyou county; and fourth
was arrested three times, the last being at
Arcata, Humboldt county. In fact every
county north of San Francisco was ran
sacked to no purpose.
\ ACT II.
BAKEssFIEID (Kern county,, April 3d.
The dead body of a man, believed to be
Peter Olsten, was brought here about IL
o'clock last night, and the fact immediate
ly telegraphed to Sheriff Harris of Napa.
He was killed 'in resisting arrest" near
the summit of the Sierras, at the sources